Do tumor cavitation and sex in resected stage I non-small-cell lung cancer correlate with prognosis?

Abstract

Multiple factors have been reported as affecting the prognosis, and they affect the therapeutic outcomes of stage I non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Most studies focus on patients receiving combined-modality therapy, whereas there are few studies that focus on patients undergoing surgery alone. The aim of this study was to identify risk factors for disease relapse and unfavorable prognosis in stage I NSCLC patients treated with surgery alone. A total of 315 stage I NSCLC patients who were treated with surgery alone as the definitive therapy were identified. Risk factors for disease relapse and unfavorable prognosis were estimated by univariate and multivariate analyses. Sex, tumor pathologic stage, and cavitating lung cancer were identified as independent risk factors for relapse and overall survival using the multivariate analysis. Sex, tumor pathologic stage, and cavitating lung cancer were identified as independent risk factors for early relapse, and sex and cavitating lung cancer were independent risk factors for late relapse. Tumor cavitation, pathologic stage IB, and being male are predictors of poor outcome for patients with stage I NSCLC who undergo resection.